


The Heartsmith

by psychoceans



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 19:40:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11042964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psychoceans/pseuds/psychoceans
Summary: Some people sell hearts, others repair them.





	1. Chapter 1

_ Would you like to buy a heart? _

It's kind of ridiculous, Jongin thinks. Buying hearts off the streets. No, the fact that people can easily buy a heart is already ridiculous enough. 

Kind of pathetic actually.

But that's the world they live in. A world where you can see other people's hearts. The broken ones, the beautiful ones, the ones where you can't see a thing and some don't even have one at all.

Jongin has one though.

It's not perfect, no, it's far from perfect. It's broken, utterly broken and he can't fix it. He would buy a new one if he could, but he already has one. One he can't use to love someone. One he can't use to love his future husband with.

So it caught him by surprise when the familiar boy with light brown hair and eyes surrouned with dark khol who always sells hearts might know a solution for him.

''Sir.''

''Would you like to buy a heart? I have quite some beautiful ones to offer.'' The boy who sells hearts says. His eyes fall upon him, filled with a bright sparkling enthusiasm. 

By his side, at the crook of his elbow hung a wicker basket. Filled with shinning red hearts, almost glimmering like jewels. And at the palm of his hand hovered a heart just above his skin. Displaying it like he has done so for ages.

''Do you perhaps also repair broken hearts?'' Jongin asks in a soft tone while he takes a glance at the perfect red heart that the boy is holding carefully with somehow such a delicate touch to it.

''Oh, no! I just sell hearts sir.'' The seller exclaimed. There is something apologetic in it Jongin can hear.

Jongin gives a small nod. Teeth dugging into his lower lip.

''I see.''

There must be something in his tone, because the seller points towards one specific direction after putting the heart that hovered on his palm back in the wicker basket with a careful movement.

''But if you go that way, around the corner of the street you will find the Heartsmith. He can maybe help you further.'' The seller says with a sweet voice that has no hint of fakeness in them and Jongin gives a quick look at the end of the street.

''Heartsmith?'' Jongin wonders but decides to check out. Maybe the unknown Heartsmith can help him learn to love his fiancé.

''What's your name?'' 

''Baekhyun, Byun Baekhyun.'' The heart sellers says and Jongin gives Baekhyun a kind smile with a nod.

''Thank you, Baekhyun. My name is Jongin.'' Jongin says in return.

''You're welcome, Jongin.'' Baekhyun says. Jongin gives one final nod before turning around and then starts walking towards the directions Baekhyun just gave him.

When Jongin reached the corner, he can see the store Baekhyun was talking about. The wooden sign was painted with a fancy gold color and the word HEARTSMITH was carved into it, later on it was painted over with a brown color that suited with the fancy golden paint.

The hand carved wooden door had smooth carvings of leaves. Leaves of all kinds and all of different sizes, but somehow it still suits the door. It has a calmness to it. The whole first look of the store has it. The overly fancy sign, the hand carved wooden door that highlights a warm brown. It somehow gives calmness.

Jongin looks around, searching for an open or closed sign but he sees nothing. He softly pushes the door. Not sure if it's a pull or push door but when the door opens he steps inside. He looks around and again, the store looks calm. An avarage book case was leaning against one of the walls and by the looks of it, it has something to do with hearts.

Jongin then sees the man. Eyes shielded away with dark glassed goggles while working on a heart. His lips, that Jongin thinks that quite resembles a heart, is in a tight line and even with the goggles on Jongin can see how concentration he looks. Little droplets of sweat is running down the man's face while working on the red heart that looks like there is nothing wrong with.

He has no idea what the man is working with. It's only after today that he found out that broken hearts even can get fixed. And he's not even sure if he can disturb the man.

''Uhm.'' It comes out like a soft whisper. The man can probably not hear him. Jongin bites his lower lip again and closes the door behind hiim.

''Excuse me?'' Jongin says louder this time and the man looks up.

His lips parted as a surprised _oh_ leaves his lips and the man takes the dark glassed goggles off.

''A customer!'' The man said with surprise laced in his voice but a heart shaped smile still appears on his lips.

The man looks beautiful if Jongin has to be honest. The eyes are round and big. It has a brightness in them. But Jongin can see the small tint of pain deep within them.

''Welcome sir! What can I do for you?'' The man says with such happiness in his voice that even Jongin's heart can feel a bit of happiness that's wanting to seep in.

''There was a young boy at the market that told me that maybe you can repair broker hearts?'' Jongin asks, unsure but the heart shaped smile that appears on the man's face is making all his worries turn the other way.

''Yes! That's what I do. I'm Do Kyungsoo, the Heartsmith.'' Kyungsoo says while pointing to himself, smile still very much visable on his face.   

''Pleased to meet you!''

''Pleased to meet you, too. I'm Kim Jongin'' Jongin introducés himself back to the male.

''What seems to be the problem, sir?'' Kyungsoo asks. 

Jongin gives a shy unsure smile and takes hold of his heart that he had hidden in the inside pocket of his coat and the broken heart is hovering above his palms. The red hue casting over his palms.

The heart is chipped and has cracks, the little bit of base that's left is the only thing that's holding the heart together. With too much pressure it would break for sure. Kyungsoo never saw a heart that broken before. He's surprised why the boy is still letting it get fixed when he can just buy a new one. They say that you can't buy a new heart when you already have one, but that's just a lie people like to tell others, most likely wanting to see other people suffer because they can't stand suffering alone.

''Hmm, I see. It looks pretty damaged.'' Kyungsoo finally says after taking a good look at the heart. 

''So you can't repair it?'' Jongin ask. Eyes casted to the ground and starting to shield the broken heart away because of shame.

''I didn't say that... But it might take while.'' Kyungsoo quickly says and gives a small supporting smile. Grabbing Jongin's arms to stop him from hiding the heart he should not be ashamed of.

''That... That might be a problem.'' Jongin softly whispers and Kyungsoo catches the unsure look on his customer and he gives a small elbow on Jongin's arm.

''Are you planning on getting married perhaps?'' Kyungsoo grins and notice that again Jongin casts his eyes to the ground.

''I am actually.'' Jongin admitted. Kyungsoo raises his brow for a second and nods.

''Oh.'' He sings and pushes his hair out of his eyes. 

''Congratulations.'' Kyungsoo says but he can sense that Jongin somehow, isn't exactly pleased.

Jongin lets out a sigh and stares at his floating heart. Staring at the pieces that was once there.

''The wedding... It's coming closer with each day, but with this heart, I find it incapable of loving. Incapable of loving my fiancé.''

''I can see how that would be a problem.'' Kyungsoo mused. Hand again brushing some hair out of his face.

''Well, you can leave it here for a while? I can't make any promises, but I'll try my best!'' Kyungsoo suggests but can see that Jongin is having a battle with himself in his mind.

''Thank you...'' Jongin finally says. Smile small but there's something soft in his eyes.

''Please take good care of it, dear Heartsmith.'' Jongin smiles while handing the broken heart to Kyungsoo who carefully lets it get pushed onto his hands.

''Of course! Don't worry.''

''I don't know when it will be ready... Just drop by whenever it's convenient for you.'' Kyungsoo smiles, eyes looking from Jongin's deep gaze to the broken heart that's in his hand.

''I will.'' Jongin returns the smile and gives one final nod before getting out of the store. 

He walks back to where he came from and hears the familiar _Would you like to buy a heart?_ sentence and he lets his eyes go towards the boy with khol around his eyes.

The boy, Baekhyun looks surprised for a second or two which Jongin returns with the same expression.

Baekhyun then smiles and waves towards Jongin, eyes becoming crescent from the overly bright smile he's giving Jongin.

Jongin returns the smile and gives a short wave before walking away.  
 


	2. Chapter 2

 

Jongin came by almost everyday. Kyungsoo honestly wonders what the male does in his free time. Kyungsoo worked on Jongin’s heart. But he also had to try to repair the other hearts. Which Jongin understood fully.

There is something weird between them.

If Kyungsoo is not repairing broken hearts they are talking. Just talking. 

Sometimes for just a few minutes.

But sometimes they talk for hours and hours on.

Kyungsoo never had that before. Most of the time customers get their hearts fixed and pay a couple of bucks and are gone. Some come back though, the heart needing repairs again. Sometimes it’s just a small crack. But on some occasions they come back looking even worse than they were before.

But it’s okay, he doesn't hate the job. It hurts him sometimes but it’s okay.

But with Jongin.

With Jongin, loud alarms are ringing in his head every time Jongin leans in a little bit too close to look at a heart he’s fixing. The soft touches that’s starting to happen. A strong hand resting on his thigh, sometimes kneading the flesh, trying to soothe him from the hard work Jongin says he does.

And that only started a few days ago. 

Kyungsoo has been trying to fix Jongin’s heart for two weeks now. It’s better now. But there's a small problem. A small malfunction in his heart. 

And Kyungsoo can't help but wonder how it got there. How a perfectly fine heart got into such a bad shape. He's been wondering about it since day one. He does now too. 

He’s working on Jongin’s heart, goggles protecting his eyes from working on the heart for a few hours now. A soft thud thud thud and the familiar deep yet soft voice gets him out of his concentration.

“Hi! Sorry for bothering you today as well.” Jongin says while walking into the shop. 

Kyungsoo takes his goggles off and lets go off his work tool.

“Hello Jongin, it’s you.” Kyungsoo says with a smile and a soft pink on his cheeks.

“I brought you some cake.” Jongin says while holding the box he has up with his right hand and returns the smile.

 

 

“It’s so good!” Kyungsoo stated and takes another bite of the strawberry shortcake.

“I’m glad that you like it.” Jongin says and takes a sip from the cup of tea Kyungsoo made for him.

“No one brought me cake before.” Kyungsoo admitted and shyly tries to wipe his mouth clean. But in the end takes another bite from the strawberry shortcake. Probably making a mess again.

“Well you are repairing my heart. It’s the least I can do for you.” Jongin smiled and also takes a bite from the cake.

“About that...” Kyungsoo slowly starts bringing up. Looking anywhere but Jongin and rubs his nape.

“Is there a problem?” Jongin ask concerned and Kyungsoo bites his lower lip.

“Well... Some vital parts required for the 'love' function are missing.” Kyungsoo says carefully and can see the hurt flash through Jongin's eyes.

“Can I... Can I ask you something?” Kyungsoo ask and Jongin gives a nod. Already guessing what Kyungsoo is about to ask.

“How... How did you get it to this state?”

Jongin takes in a sharp breath. Holding the tea cup with more force than he intend to do and Kyungsoo worries for him. Jongin puts the cup of tea back on the table where Kyungsoo's coffee and cake was on and he wipes the invisible dust from his pants.

“It... It broke when I found out I had to marry someone I did not want to marry. It was just a single crack, but, later on it became more and more. My parents were pushing me to a marriage I never wanted. My fiancé Oh Sehun, he's nice, it’s not that I hate him. But I loved my ex lover more at that time. Not that it should surprise anyone that I was in love with my past lover Park Chanyeol. But Chanyeol... He couldn’t take it anymore. The secret meet ups, the secrecy itself was already too much for him. So when he left... When he left for good it broke into the state it was a few weeks ago.”

Jongin has seen the difference in his broken heart. It’s not whole but it’s not as bad as it used to be. Maybe he had put up too much emotions into Chanyeol, too much that his heart became that broken that it can barely stand on his own. But he has Kyungsoo. 

He trusts that Kyungsoo will find a way to fix it.

He hopes that he does.

“Does that mean... That I will never be able to love my fiancé?” Jongin asks Kyungsoo who is still processing the story he just heard.

“Sehun deserves better... I’m not the only one who has been hurt because of the marriage his and my parents are forcing upon us. Sehun had someone he loved too...” Jongin mumbles softly.

Kyungsoo gives him a long look and grips hard onto his sleeve.

“I will fix it for you! There is still something I can do.” Kyungsoo says while his hand moves from his arm to his chest and he tightly grabs the shirt.

Jongin gives him a shock look and stands up abrubtly. Almost making the chair fall behind him and takes hold of both Kyungsoo’s hands.

“Thank you, dear Heartsmith!” Jongin says serious. 

Kyungsoo looks away and gives a small smile.

“Don’t mention it. I'm happy to help a kind person like you, Jongin.” Kyungsoo smiles and is suddenly aware of how close they are. Jongin is giving him a bright smile and Kyungsoo can’t help but look at Jongin’s lips. It would be a lie if he said he never looked at it before.

Sometimes he thinks Jongin is also looking at his lips. But that’s probably because he said that his lips also looks like a heart. Looks like the hearts Baekhyun sells at the market.

Jongin did look at Kyungsoo’s lips. Maybe more often than he should. But when Kyungsoo talks or smiles it just attracts Jongin to look at it. He knows he shouldn’t, but sometimes he imagines that when he will be standing in the wedding hall that he will kiss lips that are in the form of a heart.

That’s why he can't help himself when he leans closer and his lips brushes against Kyungsoo’s. 

It’s soft.

Kyungsoo’s lips are soft. 

He wants to feel Kyungsoo’s lips more on his. So he leans forward again to the stiffen Kyungsoo whose eyes are wide and heart-shaped lips that are now slightly parted. Jongin backs away after pressing another one but soon presses one again.

 

And again

 

And again

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t know why Jongin is suddenly kissing him. Is it because he’s happy Kyungsoo will be able to fix his broken heart. Well that can explain why he would want to kiss him. But one kiss should be enough. Not like five of them. Kyungsoo lost count to be honest. 

When his thoughts seem to caught up with him Kyungsoo then slowly kisses back. He isn’t sure if he should but Jongin isn’t pulling away and is in fact kissing him harder than before.

Jongin pulls Kyungsoo up, lips still connecting while doing so and Kyungsoo slowly puts his hands around Jongin’s neck.

Lips parting when he feels a wet muscle lick his bottom lip.

It feels good. Too good. Kyungsoo can hear the alarms in his head go off. Because they already know it won’t end good. But Kyungsoo can’t find it in himself to part himself from Jongin.

Jongin now sucking on a collarbone and Kyungsoo tries not to pull away from the touch on his sensitive collarbone.

Kyungsoo slowly starts putting open mouth kisses along Jongin’s neck and shivers when he hears the softest moan escape from Jongin’s mouth.

He’s hard. Not just Kyungsoo, Jongin is too. The both of them are panting and Kyungsoo gives Jongin a glance who is staring at him. Lust written in his eyes. Kyungsoo can’t help the moan that escaped when Jongin’s hand went down to the front of his pants, cupping his bulge.

“Store, Jongin.” Kyungsoo moaned out when Jongin starts rubbing his clothed shaft up and down.

“Close it.” Jongin whispers in Kyungsoo’s ears and bites the earlobe right after. Kyungsoo tries to surpress the shiver that is desperately trying to run up his spine. Kyungsoo gives a breathless nod.

“J-just go upstairs. First door left.” Kyungsoo says and Jongin gives his earlobe another bite before slowly letting go and going towards the stairs he has seen many time and Kyungsoo watches Jongin walk away.

It's a bad idea. The alarms in his head are louder than before. But his heart... His heart is screaming for him to touch, to feel... To _love_.

Kyungsoo quickly locks the door from the store and walks up the stairs and walks into the room where Jongin is half naked already. Kyungsoo can see from the outline of Jongin’s cock that's straining against his boxers that Jongin is big.

Jongin gives Kyungsoo a lazy smile and gestures for him to come closer. 

Kyungsoo walks towards Jongin and slowly gets on top of him. Legs on both sides. Jongin rubs his hands up and down Kyungsoo's thighs and pulls him closer to kiss him.

Jongin knows this is wrong. He has a fiancé back at home. But Kyungsoo has something that attracts him to be with him. To almost come daily to the shop and just watch him work because Kyungsoo loves his job. Jongin can see that. There’s always this hidden pain in his eyes but Kyungsoo still loves doing his job.

The concentrated face expression. The careful touches to the hearts he’s fixing at that moment. It’s soft and delicate. And Jongin knows that after his heart is fixed he has to let go of Kyungsoo and pretend this never happened.

Jongin turns them so that Kyungsoo lies underneath him. Staring at him with those familiar wide eyes that has lust and something else written in hem. Something Jongin can’t seem to read.

Kyungsoo’s cheeks are flushed. Jongin thinks it’s adorable.

The cute small moans that leave Kyungsoo when his kisses goes down lower and lower. From sucking at his perky pink nipple to his belly button till he reaches Kyungsoo’s pants. Jongin looks up. Silently asking if he can take them off and Kyungsoo gives a nod and pushes his hips up so Jongin can takes them off easier when he loosened the pants.

After Jongin had taken off Kyungsoo’s pants he slowly starts kissing from the knees to the thighs. Sucking little marks on them and loves how Kyungsoo’s thighs starts to tremble when he’s been going at it for a while. He can see the wet spot on Kyungsoo’s white old-fashioned underwear just where his cockhead is. Jongin teasingly gives it a small lick and loves the loud moan he got out from Kyungsoo because of it.

Jongin is such a tease. Kyungsoo can tell. He’s sure that Jongin played with his nipples for ten minutes and another twenty minutes sucking hickeys on his thighs to the point he couldn't stop them from trembling because of Jongin's warm wet touch. Strong hands keeping him in place when he wants to move away.

“Do you have lube?” Jongin panted out and Kyungsoo looks at Jongin’s untouched shaft. Looking hard and Kyungsoo's not the only one who had a wet spot on his underwear because of his precum.

Kyungsoo gives a nod and moves his arm to his nightstand drawer and fishes a strawberry-flavored lube out of it.

Jongin laughs at the choice of lube Kyungsoo has and Kyungsoo only returns a pout. Jongin grins and kisses Kyungsoo on the lips before opening the bottle of lube. Jongin stops putting lube on his finger when there is a generous amount of lube on them. 

He slowly traces the rim, making circling motions and watches Kyungsoo to see if everything is to his liking. While he’s tracing the rim he sucks a hickey on Kyungsoo’s hip bone. 

Kyungsoo’s back arched up and soon a moan follows soon after that. 

Jongin softly pushes one finger in and waits for Kyungsoo to get used to it before he pushes it in deeper. By the time Kyungsoo is ready with two fingers in him, Jongin starts scissoring. Slowly stretching him open. He’s trying to distract Kyungsoo by licking his length, sucking on the top and slowly starts bobbing his head up and down, taking the whole length in his mouth. Not sucking too hard and not too soft.

When there is three fingers in Kyungsoo rasps out a soft stop.

“I’m ready, just, just take me.” Kyungsoo breathes out and bucks his hips towards Jongin.

Jongin laughs and gives him one last kiss. Searching in the drawer where Kyungsoo has taken his lube out, searching for a pack of condom. When Jongin finds one he rips the package open and gets the condom out of the package and rolls it down his still neglected cock and soundlessly  moans when he finally touches it.

The sight Kyungsoo has now. He has no words for it. Jongin's lips parting as a soundless moan leaves his mouth when he rolls the condom down his cock. He's nervous. He hadn't had sex for a while. So when the tip of Jongin's cock touch his entrance he tightly grips the sheets. Jongin seems to notice because he grabs one hand and intertwine their hands together. He pulls Kyungsoo's hands towards his lips and gives each knuckle a kiss.

Kyungsoo’s heart is pounding. It’s pounding so hard he’s scared it will explode. Jongin’s soft touch, soft kiss on each knuckle. The way he softly pushes inside when Kyungsoo gave a sign that he can go in now. It’s all so soft.

Kyungsoo loves the stretch though. The burn that reminds him that this is real. That this is him having sex with Jongin. It also reminds him that this will not be their happily ever after. Because even if Kyungsoo is loving every second of the sex that they are having. The way Jongin soon found that sweet spot inside of him that has him in a moaning mess, he still knows that after this is over, 

Jongin will be gone. 

 

 

“I will visit you again tomorrow.” Jongin says. Not looking Kyungsoo’s way while he's touching up the last bit of his clothes down stairs.

“See you tomorrow then.” Kyungsoo says softly and remembers that the door is still closed. He grabs the key from the table and unlocks the door for Jongin.

Kyungsoo lets his gaze wander to Jongin when the door is unlocked. Jongin returns the gaze and they hold it for a good ten second until Kyungsoo is the one to look away.

“Why can’t I see yours?” Jongin asks. Kyungsoo’s head snapped towards Jongin and tilts it sideways, not knowing what Jongin is asking.

“What do you mean you can’t see mine?” Kyungsoo ask.

“Your heart... Why can’t I see it?” Jongin ask while pointing to his chest where the hearts are suppose to be when they aren’t handed over for a repair.

“Because it’s not worth showing it to anyone.” Kyungsoo says and gives a small smile towards Jongin and he opens the door.

“Tomorrow then?” Kyungsoo asks again. Jongin gives him a small nod.

“Bye.” Kyungsoo waved which Jongin returned also with a bye and a short wave.

Kyungsoo closes the door after him and locks the door again. He leans himself against the door and tightly grabs his chest where his heart is. Tha’'s glowing underneath his touch. Hidden beneath his clothes. He doesn’t want Jongin to see his heart because it’s not complete. And he wonders, and wonders and wonders.

“Will it be enough?”

 

 

“It’s finished.” Kyungsoo announced the next day. It was so sudden that Jongin was confused for a second. Until it dawned upon him.

“So soon?! It’s only been a few weeks?” Jongin asks surprised.

Kyungsoo nods and gestures for Jongin to come to his work space. He takes off the soft silk he uses for covering up the hearts that is not being worked on and Jongin gasps.

“It... It’s beautiful.” Jongin breathed out. Kyungsoo did it. Jongin’s heart is glimmering more than it ever did, whole and beaming with bright red light. It doesn’t look like a new heart, it looks like there is a big scar where Kyungsoo fixed the broken heart but it’s more beautiful than it has ever been before. 

Jongin doesn’t know that Kyungsoo has been working on it the whole night. Drinking coffee after coffee while trying to fix the broken heart.

“You did it, Heartsmith!” Jongin says while slowly grabbing the heart when Kyungsoo gestures him that he can take it. Kyungsoo tries not to flinch when Jongin still won’t call him by his real name and instead gives a bright smile.

“Of course! I told you I’d fix it didn’t I?” Kyungsoo beamed proudly.

“It’s amazing.'' Jongin breathed out while holding onto his chest. ''I can feel my heart overflowing with love.”

“Really? That's great!” Kyungsoo smiles. His hand clutching onto his shirt close to his heart.

“Yes, I’m sure my fiancé will be happy.” Jongin smiles while his hand is still touching the place where his heart is over flowing with love.

“Oh... I’m sure he will.” Kyungsoo's smile has faltered for a second but soon brought it back with full force. Maybe it was a bit too wide but Kyungsoo doesn’t want Jongin to notice.

“You will come to my wedding, right?” Jongin asks, practically beaming with lights screaming off of him.

“...”

“ _Of course_.”

 

 

  
Kyungsoo sniffs while holding his chest. 

It hurts. 

It hurts the most than it had ever been before. Maybe it’s because he lets himself fall in love with Jongin. It wasn’t even a long time they spend together. But Kyungsoo still fell for him. He should’ve ignored whatever that had been going on between the two of them. 

The subtle touches. 

Letting Jongin stay longer than he was suppose to.

But most of all it’s Kyungsoo’s own fault. 

Jongin was just a person searching for someone who could fix his broken heart. He never said he wanted a relationship. Of course not, he had a fiancé. Maybe it was forced by his parents but Jongin still wanted to commit to the marriage. Maybe Jongin just wanted one last one night stand before he fully has to commit to the marriage he did not want.

The one night stand they had will be forgotten. 

And maybe one day, Kyungsoo will forget too.

“Poor Heartsmith.”

Kyungsoo flinches and looks up to see the familiar boy who sells hearts. Who slowly walking towards him and stops until he's standing in front of him. Kyungsoo has to tilts his head upwards to actually look at him.

“Why do you always share pieces of your own heart with others?”

Kyungsoo can’t help but chuckle at that.

“Look who's talking! How come you sell hearts, even though you don’t have one of your own?” Kyungsoo ask with a smirk and Baekhyun puffs his cheeks in a childlike way.

“It's because non of these hearts fit me.” Baekhyun pouted but Kyungsoo can see the pain Baekhyun is desperately trying to hide everyday by selling perfect shaped hearts for others.

“I see... Then maybe...” Kyungsoo halted for a moment. Wiping his tears away from his cheeks.

“Would what’s left of this heart fit you?” Kyungsoo ask as he takes out a heart. It's broken, it has a lot of cracks. And has been repaired more than once. But it’s still glowing fiercely despite being broken for more than once.

“Y-you’re giving me your heart?” Baekhyun ask in disbelieve.

“Yes... If this one is alright with you?” Kyungsoo asks while looking at his heart that’s hovering above his palm.

“R-really?” Baekhyun ask again and Kyungsoo gives a nod with a sure smile.

“It’s not much... But it’s all that I have left. I want you to take it.”

Kyungsoo watches as droplets of tears fall onto Baekhyun’s cheeks. A smile, a _real_ smile appears on his face. And before Kyungsoo knows it he’s being pulled into a tight hug. He can hear the small sobs coming from Baekhyun. Kyungsoo softly rubs his back while he lets Baekhyun cry against him.

 

 

 

  
“Thank you.” Baekhyun whispers in his ear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
“ _Kyungsoo_.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Epilogue

The white ceilling is the first thing he sees.

Has been the first thing he had seen for weeks now. The white, maybe a little bit too white ceilling is always the first thing that greets him in the morning. He knows it's suppose to be pure, wholeness and completion.

It means a new beginning, wiping the slate clean, so they say. It's a blank canvas that's waiting to be written on.

It is why it is traditionally worn by western brides, it's also the reason why doctors wear white jackets.

It's the color of comfort and hope, protection and encouragement. Offering a piece of calmness and peace.

It's the definition of ulitmate pureness.

But, in some cultures it is traditionally related to death and mourning. In these cultures death usually means the end of one life and the beginning of another, moving forward to a new life, so the color psychology meaning of new beginnings still holds.

But the thing is, Baekhyun can only feel emptiness. There is no hope, no calmness and there is definitely no feeling of a new beginning that has yet to start.

He tries to sit up but lowers himself down slowly onto the bed when he feels the similar painful twist in his heart coming forward.

He reaches towards the hospital bed control and lets himself sit up in a comfortable position.

The sound of a weak pulse on the heart monitor is filling the room. Keeping Baekhyun reminded what will happen today.

Today is the day everything will change.

He brushes some hair out his face and grabs the book that's resting on the hospital night stand right besides his bed. 

He opens the book to the same page he has been doing so for years now. It's an old book, not just any old book. A book filled with small stories. all different kinds of genres. But it always contained a heart in it. Soulmates stories, one heart connected with the other. Broken hearts stories, first love stories and so on.

Some had happy endings, some didn't. 

It was made by his grandfather. The stories were all short, maybe twenty pages each. But despite the shortness of it, all of those little stories still had different meanings behind all of them. 

It's a book that has long been forgotten.

But there's only one particular story Baekhyun keeps rereading.

_Hearts for sale_

It's a story about a man that falls in love with another man. And it just so happen to be a man with a broken heart, a heart that has yet to get fixed to love again. But when the heart finally got fixed, by the person who could do so, who might have secretly fallen in love with the man with the broken heart, he left.

But the book haunts him in his dreams.

It's the same dream over and over again.

It began when he found out he will be getting a heart transplant.

Or more or less when he found out by _who_ he will be getting a heart transplant from.

It's like a pattern that somehow reflects his, and other people's lives in it.

He doesn't know why _he_ is the heart seller in the dream. A small supporting character that's getting way too much attention, too much attention that even the main charachter had been pushed to the side.

Why his parents are the ones that were forced to marry each other in his dreams.

He doesn't understand why _Kyungsoo_ has to be the Heartsmith.

Well... Baekhyun knows that Kyungsoo is always being known for being overlooked easily. People just don't care, not even the ones he helped. 

It's not like Kyungsoo is special, but he's good, good enough that he deserves more attention than what he is getting now. Probably that much of a good person that Baekhyun won't even be surprised if he will never find a person like Kyungsoo ever again.

Kyungsoo is known for being kind, loving and caring.

He knows that the Heartsmith was caring and kind, wanting to help people as much as possible.

Kyungsoo is like that too.

Kyungsoo is also in love with his father, Kim Jongin. The only difference is that his parents have been married before both Kyungsoo and he had been born. 

It was easy to see. Those small love struck glances towards his father. The cheeks that would turn rosy when his father praised him.

It was just so easy to see. Kyungsoo exuded the emotions so strongly, so loving and so - so easily that it flowed right out of him.

 The emotions of a one-sided love.

Baekhyun is undoubtedly sure that his other father, Kim Sehun. Must have secretly known. 

The only difference in his dreams are, is that Kyungsoo did not have sex with his father, or any kind of sexual contact for as far as he knows. 

Baekhyun doesn't even know why he's always dreaming that part. The part where the Heartsmith and the male with the broken heart will be having sex later on in his dreams. It's not even in the original story. 

But there is something sweet in it.

The soft touches.

The intimate atmosphere surrounding them.

The worries of possibly hurting Kyungsoo.

The desperate, yet careful presses of lips on lips.

Unfamiliar territory for the both of them.

It all seemed real.

It seemed like two people that made love to each other for the first time.

Baekhyun's thoughts seem to disappear when a soft knock can be heard, and the familiar voice of the cardiologist who Baekhyun secretly not like, enters his line of vision.

''Hello Mr.Byun.''

''Hello doctor.''

''What are you reading over there?''

Baekhyun lets a soft sigh escape from his mouth, holding the book up so that the doctor can see the old brown leather bound book that has a fancy heart embossed on it in the middle. 

It's a one of a kind really, the book stores who does sell the book, mostly only have paperbacks since the popularity of the story hasn't quite reach the numbers like it had in the older days.

''Ah, I think I remember that book. My children used to love it when I read it to them.'' The doctor said so that the so called 'conversation'  they have wouldn't end at  just a hello.

Baekhyun gave a nod in return so that the doctor would know that he acknowledged what he had just heard and opens the book to the similar page to the similar story.

The only thing that Baekhyun wants to do, is to read the story, maybe it's because he has been reading the story for weeks now that he always gets the same dream over and over again. but he somehow just can't help himself. The story is screaming for him to be read. To be read over and over and over.

''Hey I remember that one,'' The doctor mused. ''It's some sad love story about a heart being given away, am I right?''

''Yes, the Heartsmith was very kind.'' Baekhyun replied simply, his eyes casted back to the beginning of the story and slowly turned the page after reading the first one.

''Uh, who? If I may ask.''

''It's nothing, people don't remember him... Not even those who he helped.'' It came out as a whisper the last part, all the kind things Kyungsoo did that Baekhyun witnessed flashed through his mind. The familiar burn behind is eyelids is wanting to come forward again. The sting of tears that are begging to be released, but Baekhyun made a promise, a promise he really is intent to keep.

''Well today is finally your big day!'' The doctor said with a smile after the mood went down, the doctor even has the nerve to clap his hands together as a happy gesture which only made Baekhyun scoff and roll his eyes.

''Can I see doctor Park?'' Baekhyun asks instead, he can already feel the patience running out of him. He knows he's being rude but he can't stand the doctor, the doctor who is overly excited for a patient whose not happy about the operation, but he also has no word in it apparently. And that's honestly just messed up because he's twenty-three for fucks sake.

Baekhyun doesn't even look the doctor's way when he gave his reply and walked out of the room. Sure the doctor is probably happy that he can make another human being live for a couple more years, but Baekhyun was ready to die. He always has been ready to die since childhood.

The thing is, Baekhyun has a heart disease.

So basically his live existed from hospital visits to taking different kind of pills everyday. Some worked, some didn't. He had operations, damn he had a lot of them. Baekhyun used to be insecure about the scars he would get out of it, but later on in life he didn't care anymore and that was mainly because he most likely wouldn't get a 'real' life at all. Heck the doctors are even surprised that he's still alive.

But things changed when he got a heart attack in school. 

His parents became more persistant about trying different medicine, searching for the best solution thinking that they could save their little boy who already had given up on life a long time ago. And that was only in middle school.

But he had Kyungsoo, his neighbour and best friend. They always had been friends, mainly because their parents were friends before the both of them were born, which naturally made them create a friendship, a good one.

Nonetheless, Baekhyun isn't the only one who's sick. Kyungsoo is too.

Kyungsoo has a malignant brain tumor.

Kyungsoo was twenty-one when they found out. It was also the day that Baekhyun’ condition became worse.

It has been three years since then on. 

They’ve tried to do chemotherapy and radiation therapy. And it worked, besides the bad side effects Kyungsoo had. Feeling nausea, his immune system started to breakdown and hair loss. Kyungsoo’s hair did grow back later on when the chemotherapy ceased. For his immune system they made a special list of what kind of food he can and cannot eat. Exercising if Kyungsoo could and taking vitamins.

But it started to get worse again when Kyungsoo started to get memory loss. It was about the past, nothing special people would think because of course here and there people won’t remember what happened in their past but with Kyungsoo’s situation they knew it was serious. That was one year later after all the treatments.

And that’s also where they found out that Kyungsoo maybe have a year or two left to live.

Baekhyun felt bad, not because Kyungsoo had only little time left to live, but because Kyungsoo decided that instead of going around the world as some people would do. He decided to stay with Baekhyun.

It’s not like Baekhyun couldn’t go outside. 

He just couldn’t go outside as much as other people could when his condition became worse.

A few months ago they said that Baekhyun finally got a donor. 

That he could live a ‘long’ and ‘happy’ life.

Well that long and happy life included his best friend.

And he’s already pretty old. They said he could live till the age of twenty, but he’s now twenty-three, has to count for something.

So when Baekhyun could meet his donor after all the test they had to run on him to see if they matched. he found out it was none other than Do Kyungsoo, the Do Kyungsoo who he’d known for years.

If people said he was mad would be an understatement. He was absolutely outraged.

He didn’t even let them finish the conversation because with just one sentence, he was fleeing out of the room.

 

_Do Kyungsoo will be the donor for your heart transplant_

 

And lets just say his actions got consequences. And with that he means; waking up in a hospital bed with IV fluids.

 

“Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun once again looks up from the book. Letting the thoughts disappear when the doctor with the familiar friendly face takes a seat besides him.

“Hello Chanyeol.” Baekhyun smiled. 

To be honest Baekhyun doesn’t know why Chanyeol is in his dreams. They’ve never met before until the whole donor thing happened. 

He’s one of the surgeons that will do the heart transplant.

He’s also probably the only one who understands how Baekhyun feels about the situation.

“How are you?” Chanyeol asks. They both know the answer but Baekhyun still feels the obligation to reply.

“Same as usual, mad. But… I can’t be selfish, not today.”

“Baekhyun…” Chanyeol paused, grabbing Baekhyun’s hand as a sense of comfort.

“It’s not just hard for you. You know that. If we postpone any further, Kyungsoo can’t donate anymore, the medicine plus the growing of the tumor sta-”

“I know.” Baekhyun replied coldly.

“It still would’ve been nice if I did had a say in this. But it’s too late, and Kyungsoo is stubborn and so are you doctors.” Channel lets out a laugh and ruffles Baekhyun’s hair. Baekhyun returns the smile with a glare and puffed cheeks.

“We are doing what’s best for you. And you can’t hold it against Kyungsoo that he wants to help you, save you.” 

Baekhyun lets out a big sigh after hearing the words of Chanyeol and gives a small nod.

“I know… But it would’ve been nice if he could be saved too.”

“It would.”

Baekhyun wished their lives was just like the story.

It never mentioned that the Heartsmith will be having a brain stem glioma.

Kyungsoo could’ve fixed his heart, without having to give his away.

And they could live happily ever after.

But humans are made of flesh, blood and bones.

A human heart is nothing more than a bloody organ with muscles around it to pump the blood through. The only thing that keeps a human alive besides needing oxygen.

The only thing that connects Kyungsoo to the Heartsmith is that he is also giving his heart away, but not to the boy who sells hearts, but to the boy who he calls his best friend.

“We have to get you ready. Now.” Chanyeol stated firmly, yet gently. But they can’t drag out time, especially not when there are people waiting.

“Ok.” Baekhyun confirms softly. He pushes the soft, thin hospital blanket off of him and lets his feet touch the ground. Baekhyun gives Chanyeol a disapproving look when Chanyeol brought a wheelchair back after he left room and came back.

“I can walk.” Baekhyun stated stubbornly.

“Yes, barely. Now stop being a pain in my ass and take a seat.” Chanyeol joked while putting the wheelchair on his brakes.

“Fine.” Baekhyun mumbles and slides himself onto the wheelchair while Chanyeol keeps his IV fluids from getting tangled. When Chanyeol is done with putting the IV fluids on the pole that’s connected to the wheelchair, he then slowly pushes Baekhyun out of the room.

“What about Kyungsoo… Will I still be able to see him.”

“Yes, of course. After we got you cleaned up, we will take you to the surgery room where Kyungsoo will be at.”

Baekhyun hummed. Watching the people they pass by. “You guys thoroughly planned this out I see.”

“Baekhyun.”

“Sorry…”

They don't say anything afterwards. Chanyeol leads Baekhyun into a room where he will have to change into a hospital gown for the surgery with Chanyeol’s help. Baekhyun whines about how he can do it himself and that Chanyeol doesn’t have to help him since he knows there are countless nurses around who can do so just as easily.

It's after a few more complains about not even needing the gown since they will take it off when they will work on his heart anyways that he’s finally all seated in the wheelchair once again.

Baekhyun gets leads to a hospital bed that’s all ready for him to lie on for the operation that has to come. This time it’s a nurse that helps him on the bed since Chanyeol also has to clean himself up for the surgery.

Lights after lights shines in Baekhyun’s eyes from looking up at the ceiling as he’s being pushed towards the operation room. Baekhyun has to hold back a groan when the nurse asks him to take of the gown he’s wearing.

It’s when he got the hospital gown off and he's being pushed inside that the nerves hits him in every bone in his body.

Anxiety start to curl in his stomach. His hands starts to clutch on the hospital bed sheet and it’s only then that realization is finally seeping in.

He's been trying to pretend that the operation was never discussed, the fights they had over it. The meetings Baekhyun was forced to stay at. He would push the subject away to the back of his head. Pretending that they would be fine, that everything will be alright. Ignoring the problem that is in front of his eyes. 

But when he will be lead into the room, the room he can see Kyungsoo already lying in from the small window from the door that's keeping them apart, Baekhyun will be the only one that will be getting out, alive.

He tries to blink away the blury vision he’s starting to get from the rush of emotions, tries to get his uneven breath even again because he can’t cry, he won’t, he promised Kyungsoo. 

He’s forcing himself to look up at Kyungsoo when he finally gets pushed into the surgery room and Kyungsoo looks at him from the bed, a soft smile starting to grace on his beautiful face and pushes himself to sit up.

Baekhyun tries to return the same smile Kyungsoo just gave while the bed gets pushed besides Kyungsoo. They make Baekhyun ready with giving him others IV-fluids after the ones he first had got taken off by Chanyeol when he had to change for nothing.

“Hey.” Kyungsoo’s velvety and soothing voice fills the operation room. The same voice that can bring warmth to Baekhyun's chest. The same voice he will never hear again in person but only on video tapes and in memories that will slowly fade as time will pass on.

“Hey.” Baekhyun softly replies and takes Kyungsoo’s hand when he hold it out for him.

They don’t say anything after that. Just quietly holding hands as the doctors are doing their thing before the surgery officaly starts.

Kyungsoo is softly tracing Baekhyun's knuckles. Trying to soothe Baekhyun when it should be him soothing Kyungsoo, it should be the other way around.

“Hello everyone.”

Baekhyun’s hold tighten when Chanyeol’s voice fills the room. He’s the one who will perfom the operation. But there is another surgeon for when things...doesn’t turn out than they hoped it would.

Coldness starts to come forward when Kyungsoo lets go of his hand and settles himself on the bed. Baekhyun soon follows afterwards and lies with his back on the bed. The room is full, too full. Two surgeons, doctors assistants and there are even people watching in the operating suite.

What about his parents. Did they come. He honestly doesn’t know he hasn't been paying attention to people after he got changed in the gown. What about Kyungsoo’s parents. They...they have been supportive about the operation that is about to happen. But Baekhyun is honestly scared to face them after it's over. 

Baekhyun flinches when an anesthesia mask comes in his sight. He hasn’t been paying attention again to what people were saying around him.

Just like that...

They will start the surgery just like that...

“Wait!” Baekhyun says loudly and pushes the anesthesia mask away when it gets too close to his mouth and nose. He sits up too fast and can feel it effect his heart but he doesn’t care. He can withstand the pain for Kyungsoo.

Surprise is written all over Kyungsoo’s face. The anesthesia mask also didn’t reach his face yet and follows Baekhyun’ movement and sits up too after one of the doctor assistent pulled the mask out of his reach.

“What’s wrong, Baekhyun?”

“Are you sure? About this... You can still live... Maybe not as long as others...but you still can.”

“So do you, Baekhyun. Many, many more years than I can. Than I ever will.”

It’s like a stab in his chest, not just one of them, more. Baekhyun once again tries to control his breathing. He doesn’t notice how his hands start to tremble, he only notice the ringing in his ears and the calm smile on Kyungsoo's face that’s telling that everything will be okay. That everything will be alright.

But it won’t

Because Kyungsoo will be _death_.

Kyungsoo will be death when he awakes.

He’ll be gone, for good.

His best friend, Kyungsoo will be gone. Baekhyun doesn’t know if he can handle that. Kyungsoo is the only one that was always willingly helping him, others. He’s the good in the world that’s full of violence and manipulation.

“Why?” Baekhyun ask, he choose to ignore the crack in his voice.

“You can get fixed, Baekhyun. I can't.”

Baekhyun’s face is blank until the rush of emotions finally gets to him. Overwhelms him to the point that the tears he has been trying to prevent from falling so hard, finally did. The sorrow feeling he’d been keeping inside, the tears that leaves wet traces on his cheeks and shortly after on the bed sheet, leaving behind a darker shade of white on the sheets in the form of droplets that will only be there temporary.

Baekhyun wipes his cheek, tries not cry, tries to stop the sobs that keeps coming out of him. Baekhyun wants to talk, wants to apologize for crying but the words won't come, they are internally choking him.

Baekhyun instead pushes himself off the bed. Ignores what the doctor is telling him because he needs to hold him. For one last time he wants to embrace Kyungsoo. Needs to feel the warmth and the touch of his best friend for one last time.

Kyungsoo is crying. His face is burried in Baekhyun’s neck but Baekhyun can feel the tears slide down from his neck onto his collar bone and down further until the salty water runs out. The last tight embrace they both share with each other.

Kyungsoo is of course the first who pulls away. Giving a small apologized smile to the doctors and assistants who are waiting patiently for the heart wrenching moment to be over.

“I... We are ready now.” Kyungsoo stated, no room for arguments as Kyungsoo goes to lie flat on his back and intertwine their hands together once again. Both gripping tightly. 

The doctor assistant gives a nod after receiving permission from Chanyeol and gets the anesthesia mask ready once again.

“I’m sorry.” Baekhyun chokes out, throath tight.

The assistant once again halts but this time lets the mask hover above Kyungsoo's mouth.

“For what?” Kyungsoo ask, giving more pressure on their already tight handgrip and Baekhyun tries to control his breathing.

“That...” Baekhyun takes a good deep breath. “That I’m the last person... That I'm the last person you see before...” Baekhyun trailed off.

 

_I_ ’ _m sorry that it_ ’ _s me who you see, and not Jongin._

 

“Idiot.” Kyungsoo laughs softly, a sparkle starting to form in his eyes and the corners of his lips turn upwards as the apples of his cheek seems to grow. It’s a genuine smile.

“If there is one person I had to choose who I can see for one last time for every time I had to die, it would be you, Baekhyun.”

And like that, the anesthesia mask gets put on Kyungsoo’s mouth and nose. The smile is still there on Kyungsoo’s face as the assistant slowly starts to count downwards from ten to zero.

Baekhyun gives Kyungsoo the most genuine smile he can pull off. Puts all his feelings in it before the last ten seconds of Kyungsoo’s life are mentally over. The hidden feelings Kyungsoo never knew of. 

And as Kyungsoo’s hand seems to get more lose with each count downwards, the smile on Kyungsoo’s beautiful face slowly seems to fade, Baekhyun is trying to make his smile the most brightest one. 

And as Baekhyun watch the now asleep Kyungsoo, he knows that there is a better place waiting for Kyungsoo. Might it be heaven, reincarnation or in a fiction story in a book. Baekhyun knows that this time Kyungsoo will be treated good. That he will exist as someone who was meant to be treaded like he always deserved.

Yes, people will forget. They will forget Kyungsoo, will forget his mere existence. 

But there are a few who won’t.

Baekhyun’s parents won’t.

Kyungsoo’s parents won’t.

And Baekhyun won’t.

He will remember.

“I’ll always remember you Kyungsoo.”

  
“Always.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
_Always doesn_ ’ _t last very long_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I’m sorry... a Primary graft dysfunction has occurred. Baekhyun... W—”

“How long.”

“...Twenty days.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
_The sun is shining bright streeks of yellow, the green grass tickles his feet with each step he takes and the field he's walking in is covered in different flowers, all different colours._

 

_Free_

 

_It feels like freedom._

_He doesn_ ’ _t know where he_ ’ _s going, he lets his feet guide him to whatever destination it has planned for him._

_The destination turns out to be a different field deep in the woods._

_He lets himself fall on the grass and closes his eyes as the warm sun shines over his presence._

_He stays like that for a while, until he can feel another presence with him and while he had his eyes close and could see the colour orange because of the sun shining against his eyelids turn into a darker one._

_He opens his eyes._

 

_Angel_

 

_He sees an angel._

_A beautiful angel, maybe not a real one but it sure does for him._

_Brown hair that looks lighter because the sun shines on it._

_Familiar smile on his face that represent a heart._

_Big eyes that he later on in life had fallen in love with._

_“ _H_ ello, Baekhyun._”

_Same soothing voice he still remembers. A smile tugs up at the corners of his mouth and years of memories comes floating back in his mind._

 

 

_“Hello, Kyungsoo._ ”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

A heart transplant does not go like that in real life... Just so you guys know.  
Thank you for reading this story and I hope you guys enjoyed it! :) 

For those who want to check out the webcartoon:  [ **[ 1 ](http://miyuli.tumblr.com/post/77927805768/finally-i-can-present-you-my-little-comic-hearts) ** ] [ **[ 2 ](http://miyuli.tumblr.com/post/79881180466/this-is-part-2-of-my-little-comic-hearts-for-sale) ** ] [ **[ 3 ](http://miyuli.tumblr.com/post/79997705997/last-part-of-my-comic-hearts-for-sale-read-part) ** ]


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